Charvi hurried down the grand staircase, her heart thudding as the warning from her nani echoed in her mind. The house glimmered with marigold garlands and diyas, but all that light suddenly felt fragile — like it could be snuffed out any second.
She spotted Gauri near the temple area, arranging flowers and instructing the decorators.
"Didi! I need to tell you something — it's important!" Charvi said breathlessly.
Without looking up, Gauri replied, "Charvi, not now, please. Everything has to be ready before evening. Tell me later, okay?"
"But—"
Gauri smiled quickly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Later, I promise."
Charvi stood frozen for a heartbeat, torn between urgency and her sister's calm authority. Then her eyes caught Vihaan, dressed in his crisp police uniform, heading toward the door. She rushed to him.
"Vihaan jiju, please wait! I need to tell you something important—"
He adjusted his cap, glancing at her with his usual reassuring smile. "Charvi, I'm already late for the station. Whatever it is, we'll talk once I'm back, okay?"
"But—"
Before she could finish, Veena appeared from the hallway, her voice gentle but firm. "Vihaan, you're going to work today of all days? It's Diwali!"
Vihaan knelt to touch her feet respectfully. "I'll be back early, Maa. Promise. Just one quick visit to the station — duty calls."
Veena sighed but blessed him anyway. "Come back before the diyas are lit."
He smiled and walked out the door, unaware of the chill that had just crept into the mansion.
Charvi stood at the foot of the stairs, fists clenched. No one's listening…
Determined, she turned and ran toward Yug's room. He would understand. He always did.
She pushed the door open slightly.
Yug sat on a chair, his back to her, lost in thought — or so it seemed. Music faintly leaked from the earphones tucked in his ears.
"Yug!" she called, stepping closer. "My nani sent a message — the family is in danger!"
No response.
"Yug?" she tried again, louder this time, her voice trembling.
Still nothing. He hadn't heard her at all.
She took a step forward, reaching out to tap his shoulder —
A strong hand grabbed her from behind, yanking her backward. A gasp caught in her throat as another hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her scream.
She struggled, her heartbeat wild, kicking against the pull until she was dragged into the adjoining room and shoved inside.
Charvi stumbled, whirling around, her pulse hammering —
And froze.
"Veer?" she breathed in shock.
He stood before her, his eyes shadowed, expression unreadable — a darkness flickering in them that she had never seen before.
The air between them crackled, a mix of confusion, fear, and something deeper she couldn't yet name.
Charvi's pulse quickened as she stared at him, her voice trembling.
"Veer… what are you doing? Why did you stop me?"
He didn't answer immediately. His lips curved into a faint smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"You were about to ruin it," he said quietly.
Charvi frowned, confused. "Ruin what? I was going to warn everyone — there's danger coming, I can feel it! My nani sent—"
"Because of you," Veer interrupted softly, stepping closer, "it won't be a Diwali surprise anymore."
Charvi blinked, her breath catching. "What… what do you mean, surprise?"
He tilted his head, studying her face like she was an unsolved riddle. "You'll see," he murmured, his tone almost playful — but his eyes gleamed with something dark, something that made her take a step back.
"Veer, you're scaring me," she whispered. "If this is some kind of joke—"
"Does it look like I'm joking?" he snapped suddenly, his calm cracking for the briefest second. His voice dropped low again, almost regretful. "Don't tell anyone, Charvi. Not yet."
Charvi's heartbeat thundered as she faced Veer.
"You're not making sense," she said, her voice shaking. "What are you talking about, Veer? What surprise? And why are you stopping me from warning the family?"
Veer's smile didn't fade — but his eyes, cold and unreadable, seemed to pierce through her.
"Because if you tell them," he murmured, stepping closer, "then Diwali won't be as… memorable as it should be."
Charvi's breath caught. "You—what do you mean?"
For a brief second, the charm in his expression faltered, replaced by something darker — a flash of pain and rage that sent a chill down her spine. She took a step back, realizing something wasn't right.
"Veer…" she whispered. "What's going on with you?"
He sighed softly, almost regretfully.
"You weren't supposed to know yet, Charvi. I didn't want to do this."
Before she could react, Veer raised his hand. His palm hovered just above her forehead — a faint shimmer of crimson light forming around his fingers.
"Veer! What are you—"
Her words dissolved into a gasp as his touch met her skin. A wave of warmth, then fog — like her thoughts were being pulled apart, thread by thread. The message from her nani — the warning, the fear — all began to blur and fade into nothingness.
"Forget, Charvi," Veer whispered, his tone eerily calm. "Forget what your nani told you. Forget the danger."
Her eyes fluttered, her body swaying slightly. When he withdrew his hand, the red glow vanished.
Charvi blinked, dazed. "What… was I doing here?" she murmured, her voice distant.
Veer's expression softened again, the mask of warmth sliding back into place.
"You came to remind me to get ready for the Diwali celebration," he said smoothly.
She hesitated, then nodded slowly, confusion still clouding her gaze. "Right… yes. That's what I came for."
He smiled faintly, watching her leave the room — unaware of the faint red glimmer that lingered briefly in his eyes before fading away.
When the door shut, Veer turned toward the mirror, his reflection smirking back at him.
"Now," he murmured to himself, "nothing will stop what's coming."